Final Fantasy Drabble Collection
by DarkeAngelle
Summary: It's a surprise in every box! A compilation of mostly Final Fantasy VII oneshots, a majority of which contain Cloud, Reno, or both. Also Kingdom Hearts oneshots, mostly being AkuRoku. PWP and fluff inside. Taking requests- If I like the pairing, of course.
1. Barista

**Stupid, cheesy, rushed plot.**

**Fucking plot bunnies, yo.**

* * *

It was a stupid job, he stuck out, and Zack knew that. Coffee barista didn't look like they could snap the customers in half, but it just so happened that Zack Fair had better people skills than the president. The customers loved him, especially when he put extra whipped cream and sprinkles on their drinks, and he got tipped more than the actual waiters. But he wasn't just here for the pay or the smiles. He loved to people watch, and a little cafe at the corner of Fifth and Main was perfect place to do so.

And it was a Monday when he saw him.

He had bought plain coffee, piping hot, in the largest cup he could get. When Zack had handed it over with a bright smile, the man only grumbled, his state quite obvious. The guy was either drunk or still trying to recover from one hell of a hangover.

Mondays were slow, especially at late-morning when the clock was stretching to eleven, so Zack didn't really have to worry that he was watching the customer closely and not paying much attention to his work.

The first thing that he had noticed was the man's hair. Flaming red, wild, yet calmed into a long rat tail in the back. There were equally red tattoos on his face- Or were they scars? -and his blue eyes were piercing and electric, despite being tired and groggy.

He watched as the slender man practically collapsed in an arm chair in the corner, sipping at his coffee and pulling a phone out of his pocket. He texted with one hand, looking quite annoyed and exasperated. Zack couldn't help but wonder…

"Medium chocolate frappe, extra whip!" came the bright tone of Tifa, the cafe manager, as she took an order. Zack immediately snapped back into action at the lunch rush, eyes constantly checking the corner where the man had been.

But within a few minutes, that red hair and those electric eyes were gone.

The rest of the day dragged by, Zack missing those disengaged eyes and that wild hair. He didn't show it, however, only being just as warm and positive to the customers as usual. But he didn't see any of them. That image of the man seemed to be burned into his retinas. The way he sat, slouched, holding his phone up to see it. Knees apart to be comfortable. The sloppy way he dressed in his suit, shirt untucked and tie loose. He seemed so carefree, but the way his eyebrows had scrunched together in irritation at his phone was… cute, almost…

And the man with red hair was back the next morning.

This time, he had come earlier, when there was more of a rush. Names were being scribbled on drinks, and Zack had grabbed the cup from Tifa, only to look at the name written on the side in her perfect swirling script.

_Reno_.

A name he had never heard someone called, but it wasn't very outlandish. That was a town in Nevada, right? Reno?

Before he could ponder the name too long, Zack filled the large cup with slow brewed coffee, moving to the counter and calling out the name, strong and loud.

"Reno!"

_Damn_, that felt good to say.

The red hair moved through the crowd, the owner of the wild hair once again looking haggard and very hung over. He slipped through the bodies easily, grabbing the cup. He made eye contact this time, stuttering in his actions at the friendly face and bright blue eyes as he grabbed his cup. Their fingers brushed and Zack immediately recoiled, jumping back in shock as the hot coffee hit the counter and splashed.

All over the front of Reno's white shirt.

"Fuck!" the redhead nearly shouted, grabbing his shirt and pulling it away to keep his stomach from burning. "Fuck, shit, _fuck_!"

Tifa was there in a flash, ignoring Zack's apologies to quickly grab a cool, damp towel and thrust it at Reno. "I'm so sorry, Sir!" she cut across, the other customers watching in shock.

Zack had never dropped a drink before.

Reno continued to splutter out mutterings and curses, dabbing up the drink as best as he could before giving up, dropping the towel on the counter and stomping off in a storm, furious that he had to change before work. Never accepting any of the apologies or offers of free drinks or pastries.

Zack didn't see him for a long time after that.

It was months, those piercing, angry blue eyes ever constant in Zack's mind as he went through his regular schedule. He felt awful for doing that, for getting rid of the one thing Zack had actually set eyes on. He had never wanted anyone before, but for some reason… For some reason, he wanted to see him again. He wanted to hear that voice speak more than just cuss words. He wanted a smile, a small "hello", or maybe a light conversation. But he was just fooling himself. Reno wasn't coming back to the cafe.

It wasn't the cafe where he saw him next.

Browsing through the grocery store, the pet aisle, Zack was quietly going through his list. He had his groceries, and now he was going to get dog food for his recently adopted puppy. The one he had named Reno. Childish, but Zack just wanted an excuse to say that name. When Tifa had asked, he said he simply liked the name and he was fond of the city. But that little hyper brown and white mutt couldn't really satisfy the need Zack found himself craving for the hung over redhead.

"Fuck!"

The sharp word made Zack freeze, halfway down the aisle of dog supplies. Wondering if he heard that right, he listened again, hearing that drawling, rough voice on the other side of the aisle.

"No, you shut the fuck up! I'm fucking done! This has gone on way too fucking long, Rufus! It's over, yo! Get that through your conceited brain, you spoiled rotten _asshole_!"

Zack really shouldn't ave been eavesdropping, but with the man's volume over in the cat litter aisle, he couldn't help but do so. He slowly pushed his cart forward and grabbed what he needed, still listening. Listening, because it sounded like Reno.

"Stop. Just _stop_. We're done." A pause, the sound of a bag of cat litter landing angrily in a shopping cart. "Fine! Fire me! See if I give a shit, yo! I _quit_. I'm wastin' my time working for ya anyway! I'd rather be flipping burgers!" Another pause, another clatter as cat food joined the contents of his cart. Zack was nearing the end of his own aisle, turning to the other, where that voice was coming from. "You don't fucking _own_ me, Rufus! We're over! We're done, and I quit!"

Zack came into the aisle, his breath knocking out of his chest. Red hair. Angry blue eyes. _Reno_.

He watched as the man hung up, shoving the phone in his black slacks as he resumed his shopping, pushing his cart and muttering under his breath. He was walking straight for Zack, who was pretending to look at different toys filled with catnip, and didn't recognize him. That is, until he stopped, taking interest in the toys as well.

Zack's heart was slamming against his chest, sending up warning flags. What if he was still pissed about the coffee thing? What if his conversation had angered him more? What if he didn't recognize Zack at all? What if he hated him? What if-

"Wait a sec…"

His stomach dropped to his feet, Zack nervously looking down at the other.

"Yer that barista that spilled coffee on me. Zack?"

_Shit_. "Y-yeah… Sorry about that."

"Nah, nah, 's fine." He grabbed a packet of cat nip, adding it to his cart. "Ended up being the best thing that happened to me."

Zack blinked, suddenly very lost.

"Ya pro'ly heard me screamin' on my phone, didn't cha?"

_I'd love to hear you scream some more_. "Yeah, I caught that."

"Quit my ball n' chain o' a boyfriend, and my job. All snowballed 'cause I was late fer work, yo." He chuckled, eyes free from anger. Happy. "Sorry fer bein' such a dick at the time though."

_He's gay then. Maybe I have a chance_. "It's fine, really. All my fault. I'm so sorry."

"Hey, it wasn't nothin' a little bleach couldn't fix." His eyes darted to Zack's cart, then back up. "Name's Reno, by the way."

_Trust me, I know your name._ "Yeah, I remember."

"So… Ya workin' again soon? I might be stoppin' by when I don't have a hangover, yo. Coffee's pretty good. Hot and strong."

And suddenly, Zack got the feeling that they weren't talking about coffee.

"Uh, yeah…"

"Ya can get it t'-go, right?"

"…I don't see why not."

"Then let's go, hot stuff."

_Well that was easy._ "Yeah, just… we gotta checkout first…"

That got a laugh. And he had a good laugh. "Yer funny," he chuckled, leaning against his cart and bending at the waist, pushing the cart forward and striking a rather… seductive pose.

Zack's mouth was dry.

"I think you're doin' enough checkin' out for the both of us, yo," he teased, giving him a wicked smirk that made Zack get dizzy as he started to push. "Let's get goin' then, huh? I _hate_ waiting."

And before he knew it, Zack was going up the stairs of an unfamiliar apartment complex, helping a far too seductive redhead with his groceries.

After that, Reno came to the cafe everyday to say hi to his new barista boyfriend.


	2. Cramming

**Not sure what this is, but let's try it.**

**Cloud could use a little Reno in his life, ne?**

* * *

"This is fuckin' hopeless, yo," came a tired groan, shortly followed by a dull thud as a forehead made contact with open pages of a math book.

Cloud's eyebrows rose, eyes peering over his laptop as he watched his exhausted roommate continue to slam his head against his math book. They were pulling an all-nighter, fighting against time to get their assignments done. Cloud was typing a paper on the French Revolution and Reno was trying to work out algorithms. Whenever one of them had started to doze, a pencil or a wad of paper would be thrown until they woke up. It was nearly five in the morning, putting the pressure on. Cloud's paper was due at six. Reno had his exam at eight.

"Keep trying," Cloud sighed, his voice weak and strained as he struggled to keep his eyes open. He noticed, however, that Reno's head had made contact with the book and he wasn't moving.

"Oi!" he shouted, launching a box of tissues at him.

Jolting awake, Reno blinked in shock before groaning at the clock. "Fuck it, yo. I'm taking a shower."

"But-"

"Just keep typing yer French shit," he slurred, heaving himself out of his chair and shuffling for the bathroom, not even bothering shutting the door behind him as he stripped and bathed, Cloud missing the show due to how fixated he was on his paper.

Two more pages...

At quarter to six, Cloud finished, and emailed it to the professor. He groaned and slammed his laptop shut, flopping back on his bed and barely registering that Reno was taking a fifty minute shower.

"Bastard fell asleep," Cloud groaned, too tired to get up and go to the bathroom. Instead, he vouched for loudly screaming, "RENO!"

He heard a resounding thud from the bathroom, followed by muttered cursing as the previously sleeping junior shut off the chilled water. He came back into the room shortly after, a towel around his waist and bags under his eyes. "Fuck," he grumbled, shuffling over to the closet to get dressed, dropping the towel as he did so.

Cloud opened his mouth to make a smart remark, or to offer his apologies, but he... couldn't, really. He was too busy watching water run down pale skin, long red hair sticking to a slender neck, droplets slowly gliding over the swell of his ass, muscles moving and stretching perfectly as the man methodically pulled on those stupid Superman boxers, followed by track pants and a thick hoodie that, unfortunately for Cloud, ended the unnaturally sensual show.

Since when was Reno so _hot_?

He hadn't realized that he was breathing a little heavy, or even that he was still watching as Reno pulled his hair back like he always did (that goddamn rat tail) and watched as he climbed up to the top bunk. The bottom of the mattress dipped slightly, remained still, and then he heard a groan.

"Turn off the lights, wouldja?"

"You still have work," Cloud reminded, finding his voice after a long moment.

"Fuck the fucking algorithms. I'll save the studying for the midterm." The mattress bounced as Reno flopped onto his side, red hair soon appearing as a head looked at him. "So how 'bout that light, yo?"

He would go shut it off... if he didn't have an erection from his mind grabbing that image of a naked Reno and running with it into far more steamy daydreams. And to think, Reno thought he was straight.

"You get it. I'm too tired."

Scoffing, Reno's arm lazily hung down, gripping the side of the bed frame. "Yer closer."

"You want it off in the first place."

"Yer on the floor."

"You're more awake."

"Yer-"

"Goodnight Reno!" Cloud finally snapped, rolling over and hiding in his blankets. Because, if he was being honest with himself, even that voice was driving him crazy. And the blood rushing down to Reno's head, making his cheeks slightly blushed, the water that was still trickling down his neck and his jaw from his hair-

The light shut off as Reno finally did the task, more creaking and shaking on the bed's behalf as he flopped back down again. Cloud heard the rustling of sheets, and then counted to thirty. If Reno didn't move, he was asleep.

And he didn't.

Taking that as a sign that it was alright, Cloud's eyes slipped closed and his hands moved on pure instinct. The throbbing heat between his legs was obviously not going to go away on its own, and he wasn't about to attempt to limp to the shower to get rid of it. And so, he pushed down his sweatpants and grabbed hold of himself. And stroked.

He bit the inside of his cheek as he took care of the aching problem between his legs, being careful not to jerk his hand too much to cause the bed to shake. That being said, it was hard for him to get off (no pun intended) as he rubbed himself with a sweaty hand. So, taking drastic measures, he put his imagination on high and watched the show.

Reno, still dripping wet from his shower. Covered in goosebumps and trying to warm up. Instead of seeking his own bed, he would climb into Cloud's, laying on top of his roommate and purring out a comment at how _hot_ he was in comparison to himself. He would pull the blankets back and slip under them, coming up with the excuse that bare bodies warmed up faster. And so Cloud would strip, more than eager. Those large hands, rough from baseball, would fold over his hips. Their chests were press together, legs toned from track tangling in a mess, those thin lips pressing open mouthed kisses to his neck, trailing lower, lower...

Before Cloud could even get to the best part of his little dream, he had released, causing him to groan at the sticky-white substance on his hand. He couldn't go to the bathroom to wash... And he threw his tissues at Reno earlier. Damn it. Looking around in the dark, he spotted a second box, higher up for Reno and his stupid head colds. He managed to grab one and he quickly wiped himself clean, tossing the tissue into the trash at the same time he head a rough, tired voice above him speak.

"Ya moan my name that often again and I'm gonna hafta do somethin' about it, yo."

Cloud only turned beet red, pretending to sleep.


	3. Purple Pants

**Oh, the crack that comes from my roommate.**

**Don't take this seriously, because I sure as hell didn't.**

**It's not even 500 words, people.**

_**This is the dark side of my mind.**_

* * *

"_Purple_ pants? Seriously, yo?"

"What's so bad about them?"

"They're _purple_."

"And?" That adorable pout only increased, sadly putting a yellow M&M to his lips and chewing on it in a way that Reno could only explain as adorable. Why was Roxas so _adorable_?

"It's girly."

An eyebrow rose, lips pouting in protest as a red candy began to melt between two fingers. "You don't like them?"

"Not really, yo. Didn't think you were too fond o' stealin' yer sister's clothes."

That was a risky accusation. Roxas had a temper, and that temper flared far too quick and far too strong for Reno pick up on on most days. The slightest think could tick his lover and that would be it. No sex for a week. Cold shoulder for at least forty-eight hours. Deadly glares until the abstinence was tempting Roxas just as bad as it was tempting Reno.

But those goddamn _pants_.

They weren't even flattering. They were just thin sweat pants that hung from his hips with too-long drawn strings and too-short legs, showing the blonde's ankle. Not to mention the horrid way it clashed with his dark red sweatshirt. Not that Reno was any expert on fashion, but _still_…

"Well _I_ like them, so I'm going to keep them." He wasn't denying it. He _had_ stolen them from Namine. "And if you don't like them, you don't get to go inside of them." Pop. Chew. And half that "sharable" bag of M&Ms had gone down his boyfriend's throat.

Reno groaned, sinking into the armchair across from the couch. "C'mon, Rox. I'm kidding. Ya look great-"

"You don't like them because they're _purple_."

Another groan. "Fine. I'll sleep on the couch for the next week."

A smirk. More chewing. Those candies were almost gone. "And I'll wear my purple pants as much as I want."

Reno said nothing, but he was already planning. Whether Roxas wanted him or not, those purple pants were going to come off, and they would _never_ be put back on again.

"Candy~?" he offered, only to smirk and tip the remains down his throat, grinning all the while.

_Fucking purple pants bastard._


	4. Bills to Pay

**Prompt: Reno charges hundreds of thousands of dollars on Rufus' credit card and does anything to keep it hidden until he figures out what to do with it.**

* * *

That was a lot of zeros. Reno hadn't seen that many zeros since he was in school, bombing everything left and right. Except, these zeros were even worse than that. These were bad, bad, _bad_ zeros. All five of them. And that comma in the middle, taunting him…

He heard the front door open and the credit card bill was immediately shoved into the junk drawer of the kitchen, the redhead grabbing up their cell phone bill to look less suspicious. He knew, however, that his boyfriend's eyes were going to fixed on him the second he saw him.

After all, Reno was still nude from his recent shower.

He was going to distract Rufus as much as he could from that bill. A distraction for how overboard Reno had gone on his little shopping spree. Lucky for him, he hid that gorgeous motorcycle away, along with the pedigree cat that was lounging in the basement of the rather large mansion… And the vibrator that was currently shoved into him, making sure he would be ready for his lover. His plan was flawless.

"Reno, I'm ho-"

He heard that voice choke off and couldn't help but grin, looking over at the stunned businessman in the doorway. He had been in the middle of shuffling through paperwork, all of it falling in shock. Because, after all, their sex life was notoriously clean and free of any of the _naughty_ things Reno wanted to try.

Reno was up for anything, as long as that bill remained hidden.

"R-Reno!" the blonde finally managed to gasp, not even bothering to pick up the papers on the floor. "What're you- What's going _on_?"

He shrugged innocently and started to walk towards his lover, his steps catlike and predatory as he closed in, long fingers eventually wrapping around a silk tie to pull the man closer. "Waiting for you to screw me into the counter, babe," he purred, each syllable oozing with seduction. So far, his plan had worked. Rufus was stiff and silent as his tie was removed, feeling the buttons of his shirt fall open. "You look tense," was soon being whispered in his ear, a tongue snaking along the outer shell as Reno began massaging sore shoulders.

As soon as teeth nipped at a tempting earlobe, Rufus snapped.

"Bedroom. Now."

"But that's so _far_," he whined childishly, pushing his lover's shirt off and starting to trace along the skin he knew all too well. "Let's spice it up a little. Just for tonight. _Please_~?"

"We already spiced it up with you parading around n-naked… Nnngh…" It was much harder to keep control over his voice with Reno's mouth doing _that_ to his neck. "Bedroom…"

"Right." Bite. "_Here_." Suck. And there would be a hickey on his neck.

Another big no-no. Rufus was the CEO of a _very_ powerful cooperation. Reno was his secret, practically his mistress, the man remaining hidden. No one knew the president was gay, and certainly didn't have such a wild lover. But, at the moment, Reno had thrown caution to the wind. The bill would get his ass kicked, so why not have fun on the way down?

Rufus' resolve was draining. Reno knew just were to lick, where to bite, where to touch… He was caving, and fast. He was so lost in the heat by now that he hadn't even registered the forming mark on his neck. And as his pants fell open, he gave in completely with an angry growl. Reno was slammed against the counter, the man gasping in shock as he felt himself spun around. A hand gripped the nape of his neck and shoved, bending him over. There was a hand on his ass, sliding towards his opening, and then a pause. A heavy swallow. Reno grinned.

"Is that a… Where did you even _get_ that?"

Three strikes. Their traditional, quiet sex life had been shattered by white plastic.

"Don't worry about it, babe," was the purred reply, clear, considering that Reno's cheek was smashed against a granite counter. "I wanted to be ready for you, after all."

The shock slowly melted away, a slow whine leaking from Reno's lips as the toy was pulled out, allowing excess lube to leak out. He _was_ ready. He hadn't been lying. Before he could process, he was getting pounded headlong into a counter and he _loved_ it. Finally. No more gentle, careful, cautious sex in _bed_. They were getting experimental, and Rufus seemed to enjoy it just as much as Reno was. Adventurous was nice.

Unfortunately, Rufus had insisted on cleaning the entire kitchen during their afterglow, leaving Reno to attempt to collect himself as he sipped a bottle of water between inhalations of his cigarette. Unfortunately yet again, Reno had been so focused on the pain in the lower half of his body and the pure bliss in the upper half, he didn't see Rufus open the junk drawer and find that receipt.

But he _did_ hear the furious screams. And he _certainly_ felt the stiffness in his back after two weeks of sleeping on a couch with his new pedigree Persian.


	5. Anything But Regular

**Oh look, Kingdom Hearts.**

**AkuRoku this time around.**

* * *

This was never a job that he thought he would like, or even one he would _have_. But, hey, it paid well and the tips were _amazing_. Not to mention that the owner just happened to be one of his best friends. Life was good. A little chilly, but good.

Pythons had opened up two years ago. Roxas had been working there ever since. It was a slutty place, but still held a sense of refinery. It was Hooters, only that the staff was male. And wearing very tight, very _small_ shorts. The place was an instant hit and women practically threw their money just to get in.

Most of the men were extremely fit, muscles flexing with no real effort, but then there was Roxas and Sora. Both relatively small, but trimmed and toned in a less… _intense_ way. Almost boyish, really, for clocking in at twenty-one and Sora being twenty. They got their share of attention, especially from the rare males in the restaurant, and there was really nothing to complain about. The flirting was bad, yes, but the experience of the job made dealing with those situations quite smooth.

But then there were the regulars.

It seemed every staff member had one customer who absolutely adored them and came out to eat every night, no matter how expensive it was. Marluxia had Larxene, Terra had a woman named Aqua, Vanitas had a shy girl named Xion, Sora had a young college student named Riku, and Roxas had the pleasure of attracting the eye of a man named Axel who always came with Riku, every Tuesday and Thursday, occasionally on Saturdays. And just thinking about that redhead was enough to make Roxas shiver.

Because no one else flirted with him so _openly_.

It was Tuesday night again, and Roxas and Sora were waiting diligently on their two regulars. Sora was being kept busy with how fast Riku was slamming down drinks and politely asking for more, and Roxas found himself giving his attention to other tables, Axel sipping a glass of water as he teased an already drunk Riku.

When it came time for the men to order, Sora ran off to find more wine while Roxas pulled his notepad from his tight pocket, giving that charming (and borderline seductive) grin as he waited for the order that he already had memorized.

"Buf'lo wings n' onion rings," Riku slurred, raising his empty glass in a toast as Roxas scribbled that down, raising expectant eyes to Axel next.

Only to find those fire green eyes _burning_ into him.

He swallowed, always finding it hard to breathe when Axel looked at him like that. Taking a short breath, Roxas' ears nearly melted from the always seductive purr that Axel spoke so effortlessly with.

"I think I'll be skipping on much food tonight, Roxas. The only thing I'm hungry for is _you_."

It was so stupid and so cheesy, but the way Roxas felt his body heat up was all but stupid. Smirking, Roxas made a quick recovery, although his voice seemed airy and weak.

"Might I suggest the baby back ribs then~?" After all, that was Axel's usual dish. And he always made sure that Roxas was around by the time he was licking his fingers clean with that sinful tongue.

"Mm, I'm not sure…" His eyes flickered to the menu in his hand, pretending to debate, before those hot emeralds were on him again, making Roxas' knees go weak. "But I _would_ like to take a certain baby to the back."

A breath left Roxas' lungs in a trembling laugh, the blonde writing ribs as the order before tucking the pen back behind his ear and leaning towards Axel, teasing him right back.

"I'll be _right back_ with that order~"

He could almost see the tremble that shook Axel's bones.

Sora was the one who tended to their drinks, eventually cutting off Riku's supply of alcohol and giving the guy grape juice. Riku never noticed, of course. Axel merely chuckled. But as Roxas waited to the other tables he was assigned to that night, he could _feel_ those acidic green eyes watching him. He didn't dare look over to the table in the darkened corner that the redhead was sitting at to prove it. He knew it was true. And when he grabbed their food and headed back over, his suspicions were absolutely correct. But tonight, Axel wasn't just mentally undressing him like he always was. He wasn't staring at that four-pointed star on his upper arm, nor was he looking at the XIII that was on his lower back in a tramp stamp.

He was flat out giving him _bedroom eyes_.

Roxas nearly dropped the food when he saw, but he made it over to their table. He barely got Riku's food down before the man was drunkenly eating, Axel choosing to look at his food before back at Roxas.

"Enjoy your mea-"

"There's a problem."

Roxas frowned, stepping closer to inspect the plate of food. It looked fine to him… "What's wrong?"

Axel merely frowned at his plate, dragging a finger in the barbecue sauce that rested on top of the perfectly cooked meat. "It's not quite… tender enough."

Whatever Roxas was going to say next was cut off by a sharp gasp as the sauce was smeared across his stomach, just above his navel.

"This is _much_ better."

If Axel had been any other customer- Any other decent human being, actually -he would have found himself being escorted out by the bouncers, Roxas being taken to the back for an incident report. But Roxas wasn't going to let that happen. He only trembled, his heart pounding and stomach fluttering, as Axel leaned forward to clean up the long line of mess. With his _tongue_.

Roxas shivered again, a breath leaving his lungs in a sigh. He knew no one would see, as Axel and Riku always requested this table. The one where no one looked, and even if they did, it was too dark to be certain of anything. But Roxas was quite certain that the mess had been cleaned up, but Axel's tongue was still working his skin, spreading fire across the bare area. After dipping into his navel, running over his soft abs, Axel pulled back and smirked at the look on Roxas' face as the blonde fought an erection.

"When are you on break, babe?"

"H-half hour," he managed to get out, voice weak and shaking.

"I'll be at the front entrance."

And with that, those eyes told him the whole story of what would happen then before going back to his meal, ignoring the shocked look on his drunken friend's face.

Roxas weakly walked away, getting back to his other customers and trying to forget why his abdomen was wet or why there was heat shooting down to his nether regions so fast that he could barely hold it off.

Sora was the one who took care of the final bill, offering to help Axel get a very drunk, very tired Riku out to the car, where his friend Kairi was waiting to take him home. He offered Axel a dessert, but the man had reclined and grabbed a cigarette, smoking just outside of the exit.

As soon as Roxas got on break, he headed out there.

"Didn't think you'd actually bite." With that tone? He really expected things to turn out this way. He blew out smoke straight up, stretching the tendons in his neck, before he extinguished the cigarette in an ash tray. "How long are you on break for?"

Roxas was already chilled, being outside in the dark in nothing but his skin-tight shorts and boots, but the heat in his stomach seemed to leak throughout himself. "An hour."

A red eyebrow quirked. "That's charitable."

A shrug and a gentle laugh. "Demyx is my best friend, and he tends to play favorites. Besides, the working conditions are-"

There was a finger over his lips, and Roxas froze. Axel was smirking at him, that finger soon beginning to trace his lips. The bedroom eyes were back.

"Has anyone ever told you how soft your lips are?" That purring seductive tone was also back, spreading even more heat through Roxas' form, his arms hugging his stomach as if he could stop it. "I'd love to… taste them…"

And before he knew it, the finger had been replaced with something much warmer, a hand running through his tousled hair before another clasped his waist to pull him closer. Roxas yielded far too willingly, eagerly raising on his tip-toes in an effort to reach the taller's lips, clutching to that too-tight black shirt and _kissing_ him. He pressed close, wanting the warmth, wanting the touch, and he got it. Hands caressing his hair, his face, his neck, shoulders, arms, chest, stomach, hips, and then his ass, getting a squeak as too talented hands that played too many video games began to knead him. His erection finally came to life as Axel broke the kiss, both of them panting as fingers kneaded a soft rear over spandex shorts.

"You have an hour?"

"Y-yeah. Well, like, fifty minutes now, but-"

"Alleyway, Mercedes, or bathroom?"

A heavy swallow. "Mercedes."

"That means you're coming home with me."

A hot, open-mouthed kiss closed on Roxas' throat, shattering his resolve as his knees nearly buckled. "Do I need to repeat myself? Mercedes." He didn't have any qualms against going home with Axel. It was better than going home with Sora any night. And with the way Axel was acting...

A victorious, wolfish grin. "So, Roxas... When are you off?"

"C-closing…"

"I guess I can wait…" Another hot kiss, hands on his ass starting to guide him for a dark black car with flaming pinstripes. "_Roxas_."

Limbs trembling, Roxas could only follow.

Demyx wasn't very happy when Roxas ended up limping for the rest of his shift. Roxas, on the other hand, was giddy to the point where he could hardly focus on work. And as soon as he walked out, there was Axel. Keeping his promise. And Roxas more than willingly left with him.


	6. Remaining

**I think it's time I made you cry.**

* * *

Zack was coming _home_. After an eighteen month tour in Afghanistan, Zack was finally coming home from the war. His boyfriend, his lover, was coming _home_.

Cloud waited in the airport, insides trembling in excitement, as he waited for the plane. There were a lot of people crowded around, holding similar expressions. Some held signs, some even held the leash to a dog or two. Cloud hadn't dreamed of bringing their chocolate lab, creatively named Choco, to the airport. His arm would have been torn off at the excitement of so many people. All women and children, with the occasional man waiting for his brother or his wife.

The gate opened. Uniformed troops began to enter.

It was chaos. People were running in each and every direction, embracing their loved ones so tight that they could have been snapping necks and breaking ribs. Cloud was pushed out of the way by a rather energetic young woman who was sobbing, causing the blonde to stumble away and to the side. His eyes were peeled for raven hair. Hair that he had been told remained uncut, perfectly wild as it had been. A goofy grin, a tall frame, a loud voice, a shout of Cloud's name, maybe a laugh, anything. Zack, Zack, _Zack_. Where _was_ he?

The crowd began to trickle away, thinning and leaving in sobbing joy. Cloud was the only one left, along with a woman who eventually left, mournful tears in her eyes. Cloud felt his stomach turn to stone and he sunk, collapsing backwards into a chair. No, this wasn't right… He had gotten the letter… Zack was coming home. He was supposed to be here. Where was he? What happened? Why wasn't he here? He was here, he had to be, but he wasn't…

Cloud hardly even knew he was crying, staring at the ring on his finger. Just something to remember him by. Zack's class ring. It was big on him, only fitting his thumb, but he didn't care. Because it was Zack's. And what if… What if that was all he had? What if he had read the letter wrong? What if, instead of "the admirable Zackary Fair" the letter had said "the body of Zackary Fair"? No. Cloud wouldn't let himself believe it. He couldn't…

"Cloud!"

Blue eyes immediately snapped up, his neck screaming in protest at the fast action. Before he could fully process what he was seeing, Cloud was standing. Running. Still crying, but smiling. He eagerly fell into the waiting arms of his lover, sobbing into a military uniform as two slow facts sunk into his overwhelmed brain.

One, Zack was alive, and currently pressing kisses wherever he could reach.

Two, Zack was in a wheelchair, and his legs weren't even twitching.

Cloud pulled away after a long moment, wiping his tears and sniffling pathetically, still beaming at the face of the man he loved. The man he missed so _badly_. "Zack," was all he could say. And he was more than happy to hear his name called back.

The rather decorated general that had been watching the reunion smiled softly, nodding and handing over a rather thick envelope to Cloud, who took it in confusion. Before he could ask, Zack explained in a voice that sounded ready to break.

"My honorary discharge papers and the medical records of my… condition." He looked down at his legs, a certain sadness and anger welling in those already teary eyes. But Cloud wouldn't stand for that. He only lowered to peck a kiss onto those lips he had missed so much, stuffing the envelope into his back pocket.

"You'll be just fine," he murmured, kissing him again. And again and again and again because he missed that taste of his lips so _bad_. "Or are you forgetting that I'm a professional nurse, hmm?"

A broad smile was his response, the raven haired man not saying anything else before grabbing Cloud by the back of the neck and dragging him down for another kiss.

It took a while for the two of them to stop sharing "I love you"s between their kisses, which had been growing more and more passionate, and they finally managed to get into Cloud's car, the general helping with Zack and his wheelchair. Luckily for Cloud, he had taken to the gym while Zack was gone. Hopefully he would be able to carry the other at least to his chair.

The drive home was quiet, Cloud not wanting to ask about the injury so soon and Zack not wanting to press about what had happened while he was gone. They just sat in silence for the near-hour drive back to their small suburban home, the question of Cloud's strength being tested, and proved, as he helped his lover into the wheelchair and rolled him through the front door, glad there were no steps that led to the door, but only a small slope. And no sooner had Zack been pushed through the door before an energetic brown ball of fur streaked into the room, Choco going absolutely nuts with the return of Zack.

The scene was touching, Zack hauling the lab onto his lap to give him affections as Cloud slipped into the kitchen, opening the envelope and skimming through everything until he found the cause of Zack's condition.

Hit by a moving enemy vehicle and involved in a suicide bombing shortly after. Paralyzed from the upper waist down. Will need heavy medication, possible amputation of legs. Honorary discharge of all duties related to-

The rest was unseen. Cloud was crying again, the tears freely splashing onto the important piece of paper. He bit at his lip to stifle any sounds of sobbing that Zack might have heard, but his tears continued to splash over parchment and the granite counter.

Zack was paralyzed. He would never be able to walk again. He might not even have his legs for that much longer.

_This can't be happening…_

But Zack was alive. That was all that mattered, right? Zack was alive, he was smiling and he was alive. They were together again. They would have money for the medicine, money for whatever they needed. Zack would never have to go back to war. They could live their life uninterrupted by such things, but… What were they going to do? Zack was paralyzed. He couldn't walk. And with that came the fact of… Zack not being able to support himself. He wouldn't even be able to so much as stand when he had to use the bathroom. Cloud was going to have be there all the time. He would quit his job. He didn't care. Zack was his main focus now…

"Cloud? Are you crying…?"

A wet nose on his elbow broke Cloud from his thoughts, the blonde quickly wiping his eyes again. "No, no… I'm fine, really. Totally fine."

Zack sighed and wheeled over to him, reaching up to grab the fist on the counter. "Babe… It's okay. I'm here-" He broke off, noticing the paper on the counter. He swallowed, shaking his head. "I'm okay, Cloud. If I hadn't done when I did, a lot of people would be dead right now. Please, Cloud, don't worry… Look at me, love…"

Cloud's eyes looked up, more on reflex than anything. Then that stone in his stomach only sunk farther, his eyes readjusting to look down. His sight flooded in tears again. "But… Zack… You can't…"

He nodded, the look in his eyes admitting that he already knew that. "I know, I know. It was worth it, like I said. And, Cloud, please… I'm adjusting. I'm still getting used to it too. But everything's going to be fine, okay?" He gave his usual wide smile, but there was worry in his eyes. "This doesn't change anything."_ Please, please still love me after this…_

A hard swallow and a nod was all Cloud could give him before the blonde was beside himself again, sobbing. He sunk to his knees, his head falling in Zack's now unresponsive lap as he sobbed and clung to khaki uniform pants. He felt hands in his hair, a dog nuzzling his side, and then… hot tears. Zack was crying too.

And they stayed like that, all night, eventually falling asleep in the same position.

o—o—o

It was several weeks, nearly a few months, before things within the house on Rose Boulevard began settling down again. Adjustments had been made, jobs had been dropped, and new at-home jobs had been picked up. Things settled, easily slipping into a routine. There was still a sadness blocking their usual sun, however. Given Zack's condition, it was obvious that several things would never come back. Zack could no longer sleep in their bedroom upstairs. Instead, Cloud had a few friends come over to help him move the furniture to the unused study on the first floor, eventually rearranging the entire house and putting ramps, handlebars, and even lifts around the house. They could still sleep together in the same bed, the frame being removed and the mattress on the ground so Zack could get in easier, but there were still things both of them missed. There would be no more running after dinner together, Cloud would have to cook and do most of the chores, no more standing on his tiptoes for a kiss, no more hugs that crushed their bodies flush against each other, no more baseball, no more swimming, no more pillow forts, no more footsie, no more… _sex_.

While sex was still possible after they found out from a very passionate make-out session that managed to get Zack hard, both of them were too uncertain to try very often. Cloud had tried to penetrate him, but that quickly turned into far too messy and not very pleasurable for either. Somehow, Zack had gone numb in that area too. He had no feeling until just above his navel. Not even a hand job had done it, but he had still reached an orgasm from the stimulation. It just wasn't… pleasurable anymore. And the only position that either of them could think up was Cloud riding him, but even then, Zack could only sit and watch, not able to feel the pleasure in his lower half.

That was an obstacle that was proving tough. Impossible, even. But Cloud wasn't going to give up that easily. They could still have sex, try their best, but Cloud was going to remain loyal. After all, he wasn't going to leave the man he loved over something so trivial as being paralyzed. He was going to remain with Zack, no matter what happened.

Even after his legs were amputated in the middle of winter when his circulation to them stopped in his mid thighs.

Even when his PTSD would act up and he would just start to cry, Cloud clinging to him until the fit passed.

Even when Cloud had to rush him to the ER in the middle of the night when Zack woke in a cold sweat, fever, and burning with pain coursing through his body as he couldn't even so much as _breathe_.

Even when he was permitted to the hospital for months on end when a miniscule piece of shrapnel was detected in his lung.

Even when that lung was removed and Zack needed to go on oxygen.

Even when they had to make a second trip to the hospital shortly after Zack had returned when he was going into cardiac arrest for some reason Cloud didn't know.

Even when that cardiac arrest killed him, his single lung not being enough to keep him breathing for much longer.

Even now, so many years later, when an elderly man sits at the gravestone in the veteran's ceremony, quietly crying over the man he loved so much. Every day. From dusk until dawn. Sometimes, he would even sleep there, above where the love of life had been buried with ashes of the dog that had somehow kept them from breaking so many times.

Even through death and dust, Cloud would remain would Zack. _No matter what._


	7. Slender

**Kingdom Hearts again.**

**AkuRokuNo, if you squint.**

* * *

"It's just a game, Roxas. It's not _that_ scary," Reno huffed, hooking up his laptop to his brother's TV, letting the cord travel all the way back to Axel's rather small bed. Roxas had taken to wrapping himself up in the dark comforter and leaning heavily against his boyfriend, who loosely had an arm around him.

"It is so," the blonde argued, shivering as Reno shut off the lights as the game started up, the title fading. "It's creepy! Turn the light back on!" His voice had gone from flat whining to high pitched squealing, his face immediately burying into Axel's chest as Reno started to play the game.

"Maybe Slenderman just wants a hug or something," Axel chuckled, picking up his already shaking boyfriend and pulling him into his lap. "Besides, it's just a video game."

"Based on a legend," Reno added, grabbing the first note and looking for another, pulling off a wonderful poker face to hide just how bad this game scared him at times. "And everyone knows legends have hardly any truth. He was probably just guy in the woods that liked to pedo-creep on little girls and never showed his face."

"Funny enough, _that doesn't help_," Roxas snarled, clinging to Axel and closing his eyes tight.

It was a well-known fact between the brothers that Roxas was a horrible, _horrible_ coward. If he was told even the stupidest ghost story, he wouldn't sleep for a week. Sometimes for even longer periods of time. So tonight, he had come over while Axel's parents were out of town, only to find that Reno was home from college for the weekend and both redheads wanted to play Slender. And now he was watching.. Lights off, sun down, a howling winter wind outside, and absolutely no one home but the three of them and Reno's ferret, Zack, who was currently sniffing at the bowl of cheese puffs sitting between Reno and Axel. Roxas had reluctantly agreed to watch the game played out, but after Axel had given quite the detailed explanation of who, what, and why Slenderman was who he was, the blonde could only hope that the game would be over with quickly.

"Just makin' sure you don't whine too much that you actually get mistaken for a little girl, yo. I mean, yer already close."

There was a dull thud as Axel punched his brother's arm, following by a chuckle and the sound of a hungry ferret stealing and eating a cheese puff. Roxas decided to look, assuming nothing bad had happened yet. He watched the screen, still huddled in the blanket and on top of Axel's lap, neck straining so he could see the TV. He watched a note get picked up and a fraction appeared. Five out of eight notes. So soon?

"Dude, don't go in the fucking house!" Axel suddenly shouted, the number of notes and the probability of Slenderman approaching inclining rather quickly. "There's never any notes in the house! Dude-! Reno! What're you _doing_?"

"I'm going into the fuckin' house!"

"Don't! He's gonna be- FUCK, HE'S RIGHT THERE, YOU BASTARD! RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN, RUN! FUCK! FUCKING RUN! _RUN_!"

And so Roxas was hiding again, Reno jumping in terror, startling Zack out of the cheese puff bowl, as he held the shift button desperately and ran for his virtual life, profanities in a never-ending stream as he left the house, not stopping until he ran out of stamina. He and Axel shared a wide eyed look before Axel snapped in the silence.

"Dude, I fucking _told_ you that was gonna happen."

"Shut the fuck up."

The game calmed down again and Roxas ventured a peek, barely hearing Axel trying to be a backseat driver as Reno counteracted his arguments. There was a shouting match about a fence, screams when the flashlight accidentally went off, and a collective sense of tension as Reno picked up a sixth note and turned around. And there was Slenderman.

Game over.

The laptop hit the ground as Reno jumped away with a rather unmanly screech, slamming against the wall as Zack sprinted out of the room for cover. Roxas shrieked with him and buried his face into Axel's chest once more, his grip practically snapping ribs as Axel jumped and clung right back. "Fuck" was flying from both the redheads' mouths as they watched the signal on the TV flicker out as the laptop shut at impact, rendering them in total, inky blackness. Reno's hand found Axel's thigh and it stayed there, clinging. It was a long time before shouts of delayed shock and the sound of racing hearts trying to calm until a silence settled over them, broken by only one thing.

Roxas was crying.

"Shit, Roxas…" Axel frowned and held his boyfriend tighter, shooting a glare in the darkness in Reno's general direction. He turned his attention back to the sobbing blonde in his arms, hushing him and pecking blind kisses wherever he could reach. He knew how to calm Roxas down, but he had never seen the small body scared to tears before. "It's okay… It was just a game. It's over now. It's done."

Reno made a small noise of concern and blindly reached for Axel's bedside lamp, eventually finding it and flicking it on, bathing them and the mess of spilled cheese puffs in a soft, golden light. It was still dim, leaving the corners in darkness, but at least they could see each other now. Reno, who felt just as guilty as Axel for scaring the other so badly, moved closer and started to pet the tuft of blonde that peeked out from under a black comforter, attempting to be soothing. "Everything's fine, Rox. Slendy's gone now. Yer fine. It's just us."

Roxas only shuddered, clinging tighter to the back of Axel's shirt before he lifted a tear stained face, keeping his eyes closed as he searched for comforting lips. He felt Reno's hand still petting his hair, rubbing the back of his neck, but he could only whimper as Axel pressed a calming kiss to his trembling lips. As Roxas' sobs were swallowed down by Axel's mouth, Reno simply kept petting him. His hand moved from surprisingly soft golden locks to a smooth neck, rubbing the skin there in a light massage before his hand moved to the comforter, rubbing Roxas' back through it. But at the moment… His eyes were fixed on the dimly lit faces in front of him. Axel's eyes had eventually closed, his hands cupping Roxas' face as his tears dried and the kiss went from gentle and comforting to flat-out provocative. Reno could _hear_ their tongues tangling, small sounds of sucking and slurping reaching pierced ears as Reno just watched. Axel's tongue did a little something, fingers trailing into golden air, and Roxas made a moan of approval, pressing closer and coming out of his comforter, hands now under Axel's shirt and caressing the planes of his chest.

Why was it so hot all of a sudden?

Reno let out a small sigh and slipped off the bed, effectively cleaning up the spilled cheese puffs and chasing his ferret away from the possible food. He went down to the kitchen, turning every possible light on the way, and took care of the bowl and the dirty puffs. He grabbed himself a bottle of water and snatched an Oreo from the cookie jar before heading back upstairs, leaving the lights on, and going to retrieve his laptop. He paused outside of the door, however, being able to see and _hear_ what was going on on top of Axel's bed.

The comforter had hit the floor, along with a couple pillows and Reno's jaw. In the ten, maybe fifteen, minutes that Reno had been gone, most of their clothes had left their skin and Axel was on top of his boyfriend, trailing hot kisses down his body as Roxas writhed, moaned, gasped, a large hand working over his erection as-

Reno quickly left, limping to his room. There was something very wrong about getting that aroused by the sight of his boyfriend getting ready to fuck that small blonde frame.

He would get his laptop in the morning.


	8. The Pastel Girl

**Zerith feels. Because I can.**

* * *

Bare feet slammed against the cobblestone of a churchyard, lungs panting, legs burning, eyes wide and swimming in tears. No one saw the streak of pastel and brown, no one saw the girl leap over a fallen pillar and dart into the long-abandoned church. No one saw her shove away the rubble caused by age and neglect of the once magnificent building. And still, no one saw her uncover the broken remains of the man who had been laid below it as a crude grave. A sob choked in the young woman's throat before she began to dig. Hard, fast, desperate. She cleared the stones and broken beams away, grabbing the military man under his arms and hauling him to the cleaner area of the floor. He was covered in blood, blue eyes shut and the face of frozen peace etched into his features. His clothes were charred and ripped from bullets, making him nearly unidentifiable. But the woman knew who he was. She would always know.

She carefully checked his pulse, not surprised when she felt nothing. She kissed the pale man's barely warm face, another sob shaking through her. She cradled his body, not wanting to let go. The stench of gunpowder, blood, and burnt cloth was overwhelming, but she couldn't let go. Not until the sun disappeared and rose again, her sleeping face resting on a chest that had long since stopped breathing. He was cold in the dawn's pinkish glow, and the woman let go. She stood, murmured a soft prayer of passing to the body, and bowed to it. She promised to return once she had located a grave for him. She was back by the time the dawn sun had turned to the brightness of midday.

She dug the grave with a shovel she had found in the nearby graveyard. She dug and dug and dug until the sun disappeared, and she kept going then. The moon watched over her as she continued to dig, her hands blistering, sweat running, and her body becoming weak from lack of food, rest, or so much as a drop of water. The next day was just as bright and perfect as she crawled out of the massive grave, the clouds staying far away as a cold, dead, spiritless body was lifted from bloodstained boards. The body was eased into the ground, the rest of the day slipping by like a falling stone as the grave was covered in dirt. The grave that resided far deep below the garden area, where new flowers would find themselves planted. The flowers bloomed and blossomed, always perfectly tended by the young woman.

She came every day to tend the garden, say prayers to the man buried so far deep, and to sing softly. He had used to compliment her on her singing, so long ago. She thought he was being foolish, and had only sung when he begged. But dead men cannot beg. So she sang to him. She complimented how beautiful the lilies were growing, how soft the petals of the snapdragons felt. She complimented the weather, even when it was raining and she tended to the garden without so much as an umbrella or a hat. That abandoned church became a most sacred grave, and no one entered, other than the pastel woman and her flowers.

Until one day, when the woman stopped coming. It was several years after the man had died, the years when the flowers began to grow stronger and in larger quantities. The flowers soon took over the garden, ivy and moss growing up the already ruined walls of the church. It was so many years that the woman was gone, and the man grieved from beyond his beautiful tomb.

Because what was the grave without a saint?


End file.
